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Treatment for Jaundice in Infants

When you have a new baby, it's easy to get alarmed about potential health problems. Jaundice is a common occurrence in infants. It does not usually pose a serious health threat in healthy babies, and treatment is effective and moderately safe.

  1. Identification

    • Jaundice is caused by an accumulation of excess bilirubin in the body. Bilirubin occurs naturally when old red blood cells are broken down. It is passed through the liver and excreted into the bowels.

    Causes

    • In infants, blood cells age and are broken down more quickly than in adults. An infant's liver is sometimes not mature enough to handle the excess bilirubin its body creates during this process.

    Symptoms

    • The main symptom in jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes that begins at the baby's head and moves down toward the feet.

    Treatment in Mild Cases

    • In cases where bilirubin is only slightly elevated, often no medical treatment is given. Instead, more frequent feedings of breast milk or formula are recommended.

    Treatment in Moderate Cases

    • If a baby's bilirubin level is very high or climbing very quickly, phototherapy is used for treatment.The baby is placed under specialized colored lights for one to two days.

    Treatment in Extreme Cases

    • If an infant's bilirubin levels are extremely high, and aren't brought down by phototherapy, an exchange blood transfusion may be required.

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